Body language is a type of nonverbal communication in which physical behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey information.
Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space. Although body language is an important part of communication, most of it happens without conscious awareness. In social communication, body language often complements verbal communication. Nonverbal communication has a significant impact on doctor-patient relationships, as it affects how open patients are with their doctor.
As an unstructured, ungrammatical, and broadly-interpreted form of communication, body language is not a form of language. It differs from sign languages, which are true languages with complex grammar systems and exhibiting the fundamental properties considered to exist in all languages.Klimt, Edward S.; & Belling, Ursula. (1979). The signs of language. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. .Candler, Wendy; & Lille-Martin, Diane. (2006). Sign Language and Linguistic Universals.: Cambridge University Press.
Some researchers conclude that nonverbal communication accounts for the majority of information transmitted during interpersonal interactions.Onsager, Mark. "Understanding the Importance of Non-Verbal Communication", Body Language Dictionary , New York, 19 May 2014. Retrieved on 26 October 2014. It helps to establish the relationship between two people and regulates interaction, yet it can be ambiguous. The interpretation of body language tends to vary in different cultural contexts. Within a society, consensus exists regarding the accepted understandings and interpretations of specific behaviors. However, controversy exists on whether body language is universal. The study of body language is also known as kinesics.
Evolutionary origins of body language Body language was one of the oldest forms of communication between primates. Nonverbal communication in the form of gestures, facial expressions, and postures is also used in the transmission of ideas without using words. Studies show that in non-human primates, such as chimpanzees and bonobos gestures are not only instinctive but also learned through social interactions.This development is known as ontogenetic ritualization. The same applies to humans, for instance, raising an arm constitutes a sign to start a wrestling game. This gesture, with constant practice, served as a form of communication between people.
Nonverbal communication in non-human primates, as in human primates, evolved based on a common evolutionary foundation. Even if it is more complex in humans. From an early age, humans develop body language through gestures, facial expressions, and postures for communication of feelings or to catch attention of something. They employ these non-verbal methods for more significant meanings and emotional content. In contrast, research indicates that in some primates, such gestures are used more frequently for immediate responses and are often more of a reaction in a more concrete context.
Physical expressions Facial expressions Facial expression is an important part of body language and the expression of emotion. It can comprise movement of the eyes, eyebrows, lips, nose and cheeks.
At one point, researchers believed that making a genuine smile was nearly impossible to do on command. More recently, however, a study conducted by researchers at Northeastern University found that people could convincingly fake a Duchenne smile, even when they were not feeling especially happy.Brunstein, A. (2007). Eye to I (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
The action of the pupil corresponds to mood and communicate the mood of a person when observed. Research has found that people have no control over their pupils, which involuntarily expand when expressing interest in another person or when looking at something. Normally, eyes instinctively blink at around 20 times per minute, but looking at a person the viewer finds attractive can make this rate faster.The eyes can communicate information that words may not be able to, the intensity and duration of eye contact can determine someone's intentions depending on the setting. Studies also show that during social exchanges, the eyes, which are used to send messages to others without words, work as a relay for the brain itself, with the need to process and interpret information. Variations in pupil size respond to cognitive and affective stimuli and therefore give instant clues about a person's understanding of a situation. Such pupillary changes also allow the identification of an individual's mental or emotional state. According to the academic researcher Deepika, in the workplace, strong eye contact is usually translated as sincerity and open communication. Furthermore, there are instances where people use closed communication, which refers to when people seem resistant to communication, for example, the avoidance of eye contact or crossed arms are interpreted as lack of interest regardless of whether it is intentional or subconscious.
Studies and behavioral experiments have shown that facial expressions and bodily expressions are congruent in terms of conveying visible signs of a person's emotional state, and that emotions can be judged with a high level of accuracy based on facial expressions. At the same time, the brain processes another person's facial and bodily expressions simultaneously.
Head and neck postures and signals The movement of the head can indicate various intentions and messages, and is often culture and context-dependent.
The angle of facing and positioning of a person's head can be indicative of their mood, when considered along with patterns of muscular tension that occur concurrently at the face and neck. Tilting the head up may demonstrate 'superiority emotions' such as self-assurance, pride, or contempt. When it is tilted down, this may indicate 'inferiority emotions' such as shame, shyness, or respect. Nonetheless, the accuracy of such interpretation depends on the intensity of the feeling or other context-related factors. For instance, feelings of contentment may instead feature the head being angled down somewhat.
In many cultures, nodding of the head is considered a sign of saying 'yes', while shaking the head is usually interpreted as meaning 'no'. In India, a head bobble is the tilting of the head from side to side, whose interpretation can be ambiguous and context-dependent.
A tilting of the head to the side can be an expression of interest in what the other person is communicating. It may be a sign of curiosity, uncertainty, or questioning. If the head is propped up by the hand when the head is tilted then this may indicate disinterest or be a sign of thinking about something. A head that is tilted forwards slightly while being pulled backward may indicate being suspicious.
As a person's vocal chords are influenced physically by the tilt of their head and the respective pattern of muscle tension, it is possible to discern their head tilt by listening to how they talk. Head angle and movement have a large impact on the amplitude and pitch of one's speech.Munhall, K.G., Jones, J.A., Callan, D.E., Kuratate, T., & Vatikiotis-Bateson, E. (2004). "Visual Prosody and Speech Intelligibility". Psychological Science, 15, 133–137.
General body postures
Emotions can also be detected through body postures. Research has shown that body postures are more accurately recognized when an emotion is compared with a different or neutral emotion. For example, a person feeling angry would portray dominance over the other, and their posture would display approach tendencies. Comparing this to a person feeling fearful: they would feel weak, and submissive and their posture would display avoidance tendencies.
Sitting or standing postures can also indicate one's emotions. A person sitting still in the back of their chair, leaning forward with their head nodding along with the discussion implies that they are open, relaxed and generally ready to listen. On the other hand, a person who has their legs and arms crossed with the foot kicking could imply that they are feeling impatient and emotionally detached from the discussion.
In a standing discussion, a person standing with arms akimbo (hands resting on their hips) with feet pointed towards the speaker could suggest that they are attentive and interested in the conversation. A person standing to give a speech or presentation may plant their feet and press them firmly into the ground in order to convey a sense of stability and confidence to the audience. In a physically confrontational situation, it may also be a sign of aggression. In sport, planting the feet is associated with subsequent physical action i.e. a boxer plants their feet before throwing a punch.
While many people attribute bodily posture purely to individual expression, there is evidence that points to posture as a product of cultural norms.Scheflen, A. E. (1964). The Significance of Posture in Communication Systems†. Psychiatry, 27(4), 316–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.1964.11023403 For example, standing with arms akimbo in Western countries may signify a confident but relaxed mood, however, in Bali it is considered rude and may send signals of aggression.
Chest In general, the relative fullness or shallowness of the chest, especially around the sternum, can be a key indicator of both mood and attitude.
When the body language of the chest is assessed in everyday circumstances, it involves an instinctive assessment of these factors of shape and volume. When the posture of the chest is fuller, and it is positioned relatively forward, then this is a sign of confidence. If it is thrusting prominently forward, then this may be an indication that the person wants to be socially prominent and make a statement of physical confidence. When the chest is pulled back then this can indicate a less confident attitude.
If a person positions their chest closer towards another person it may be a sign of paying closer attention to them as part of a conversation, or, in other circumstances, it may be a sign of physical assertion and aggression.
Gestures Gestures are movements made with body parts and may be voluntary or involuntary. Gestures can be used to convey various messages about what someone is thinking or feeling. Gestures can even be used to produce language, such as sign language.S. P. More and A. Sattar, "Hand gesture recognition system using image processing," 2016 International Conference on Electrical, Electronics, and Optimization Techniques (ICEEOT), Chennai, India, 2016, pp. 671-675, doi: 10.1109/ICEEOT.2016.7754766. keywords: {Gesture recognition;Feature extraction;Assistive technology;Image segmentation;Algorithm design and analysis;Lighting;Image color analysis;Introduction;Literature survey;Pre-Processing and Segmentation;Feature Extraction;PCA method},
Arm gestures can be interpreted in several ways. In a discussion, when one stands, sits or even walks with folded arms, it is normally not a welcoming gesture. It could mean that they have a closed mind and are most likely unwilling to listen to the speaker's viewpoint. Another type of arm gesture also includes an arm crossed over the other, demonstrating insecurity and a lack of confidence. Hand gestures often signify the state of well-being of the person making them. Relaxed hands indicate confidence and self-assurance, while clenched hands may be interpreted as signs of stress or anger. If a person is wringing their hands, this demonstrates nervousness and anxiety.